Nico Lahs – Easy Loving You

While Nicola Laporchio has received plenty of plaudits recently for his work as Cosmic Garden and NLXLB, he's released far more records of note - and over a longer period - as Nico Lahs. He recently delivered two terrific EPs under the alias on Omena, and here makes his debut on Quintessentials. He hits the ground running with the heads-down drive of 'Keep On Groovin', where a metronomic analogue bassline, bleeping melodies and layered percussion catch the ear, before breaking up the beats on the jazzy deep house warmth of 'Freakin'. Over on side B, 'Come Get Me' is an even deeper, classically dreamy affair with more than a few nods to the great Larry Heard, while 'Easy Loving You' is a languid, sample-rich shuffle that seems to make use of musical elements lifted from a groovy and organic dancefloor treat.